[Assessment among German urologists of various conservative treatment modalities for Peyronie's disease. Results of a survey].

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and the assessment of the different conservative modalities of treatment in Peyronie's disease. A representative survey among 3187 German urologists was performed using a standardized questionnaire comprising currently used concepts of therapy, their efficacy, and their tolerability.

Material And Methods: A total of 636 urologists participated in the study.

INSL3 in the benign hyperplastic and neoplastic human prostate gland.

The human prostate gland is a well known source of H1 and H2 relaxin but information is lacking on the expression and potential role of the INSL3 peptide hormone within the prostate gland. In the present study we have investigated the expression of human INSL3 in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and prostate carcinoma tissues. Of the prostate epithelial cells, strongest INSL3 expression was detected in the basal epithelial cell compartment.

The role of antibiotics in chronic bacterial prostatitis.

The role of antibiotic treatment in prostatitis is described. The selection of an appropriate antimicrobial agent with optimal pharmacokinetics for prostatic secretion and tissue is important, particularly in chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP). The theoretical background of drug penetration into the prostate is outlined, emphasising the phenomenon of ion trapping and the role of non-ionic diffusion of weak acids, bases and amphoteric drugs across biological membranes with a pH gradient.

Apoptosis: a key effector mechanism of lymphocyte action in human nonseminomatous testicular carcinoma?

Objective: To correlate the number of tumour-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TILs) with the extent of apoptosis in testicular germ cell tumours, as TILs are considered to be a favourable prognostic factor of human testicular tumours, especially of seminomas, but the mechanism by which TIL contribute to an improved outcome is unclear.

Materials And Methods: Tissue samples from 47 patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumour (NSGCT) and 15 with seminomatous GCT were investigated immunohistochemically for lymphocyte infiltration and apoptosis. The apoptotic index (AI) was assessed in various categories (DNA condensation and fragmentation) using in-situ end-labelling to identify typical apoptotic DNA strand breaks, and nuclear staining to identify typical apoptotic morphology.

Emerging drugs for bacterial urinary tract infections.

Bacterial urinary tract infections (UTIs) are frequent infections in the outpatient as well as in the nosocomial setting. The stratification into uncomplicated and complicated UTIs has proven to be clinically useful. Bacterial virulence factors on the one side and the integrity of the host defence mechanisms on the other side determine the course of the infection.

Correlations between hormones, physical, and affective parameters in aging urologic outpatients.

Objective: To determine the relationship between sex hormones, physical complaints, depression, sexuality, and life satisfaction in aging men.

Methods: 263 outpatients aged 40 years and above (M=56.2; 40-84 years) were recruited from 6 andrological outpatient departments in Germany to evaluate "aging male" symptoms.

Apoptosis in non-tumorous adult human testis tissue. Comparison of so-called 'normal' testis tissues.

Introduction: Apoptosis seems to play an important role in tumorigenesis, prognosis and therapy of testicular tumors. To understand its biological significance, it is important to quantify the amount of apoptosis and to compare the rate of apoptosis to that of a normal, unaffected reference tissue. Usually tissue from the unaffected site of the testis in patients with testicular cancer or testis tissue from patients who underwent surgical castration due to prostate cancer is used as the reference tissue.

Emergence of antibiotic resistance amongst hospital-acquired urinary tract infections and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic considerations.

Bacterial urinary tract infections (UTIs) are frequent infections in the nosocomial setting. Nosocomial UTIs are almost exclusively complicated UTIs, although the complicating factors may be very heterogenous. The bacterial spectrum of nosocomial UTIs is broad and antibiotic resistance is common.

Systemic aspergillosis with predominant genitourinary manifestations in an immunocompetent man: what we can learn from a disastrous follow-up.

Prostatic aspergillosis is a rare finding with only ten cases reported previously. We report the first case of systemic aspergillosis predominantly presenting with prostatic involvement and, clinically, with urinary retention in an immunocompetent host. Routine transurethral resection was performed due to benign prostatic hyperplasia with subvesical obstruction.

Potassium paraaminobenzoate (POTABA) in the treatment of Peyronie's disease: a prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of potassium paraaminobenzoate (Potaba) in Peyronie's disease in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study during a 12-months period of treatment.

Patients And Methods: 103 patients with Peyronie's disease and a history <12 months, non-calcified plaques and without pre-treatment were included. 51 were randomized to potassium paraaminobenzoate, 52 to placebo receiving 4 x 3g/day for 12 months.

Effect of vasectomy on sperm nuclear chromatin condensation in the rabbit.

Histone-to-protamine exchange in haploid spermatids is known to play a central role for male fertility. The present study investigates, for the first time, the effects of vasectomy on the expression of protamines in the rabbit. During normal spermatogenesis, protamine-1 and protamine-2 mRNA were expressed from step 5 round spermatids to step 11 elongated spermatids.

Evaluation of penile perfusion by color-coded duplex sonography in the management of erectile dysfunction.

The etiology of erectile dysfunction is wide ranging. Penile vascular disorders may result in impaired erection or complete impotence. Almost 30% of erectile dysfunction is due to the presence of systemic disease which affects the blood supply to the penis.

Giant multilocular cystadenoma of the prostate: a rare differential diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

We report a case of giant multilocular cystadenoma of the prostate in a 43-year-old man. This is a rare benign entity of the prostate imitating symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia and originates from the prostate with extensive spread into the pelvis. Histologically, prostatic glands and cysts lined by cuboid to columnar epithelial cells with basally located nuclei are characteristic.

Periurethral abscess formation due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Abscess formation secondary to chronic urethritis of the posterior male urethra caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae has become an atypical and rare urological complication. Periurethral abscess formation has been reported to be associated with gonococcal infections, but in such rare cases a delay in the diagnosis of gonococcal infection seems to have been the cause for this periurethral complication. A case with a primary diagnosis of periurethral abscess with N.

Alpha-1-antitrypsin levels and genetic variation of the alpha-1-antitrypsin gene in Peyronie's disease.

Objectives: Alpha-1-antitrypsin (alpha1-antitrypsin) is a major protease inhibitor controlling tissue degradation. Reduced alpha1-antitrypsin levels could result in a change of collagen metabolism. Previous studies have described decreased alpha1-antitrypsin levels in patients with Peyronie's disease.

[Symptoms or complaints in the aging male--which questionnaires are available?].

Age associated hypoandrogenism and related changes in sexual function, as well as multiple physical complaints, and affective and cognitive changes have all been described in the aging male. In addition to decreased testosterone levels, clinical symptoms are required in order to perform substitution therapy. The assessment of symptoms and complaints in the aging male is discussed based on scientific test criteria.